Podcast 886: Cough in Kids

Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Ricky Dhaliwal, MD

Educational Pearls:

Croup

• Caused by:

• Parainfluenza, Adenovirus, RSV, Enterovirus (big right now)

• Age range:

• 6 months to 3 years

• Symptoms:

• Barky cough

• Inspiratory stridor (Severe = stidor at rest)

• Use the Westley Croup Score to gauge the severity

• Treatment:

• High flow, humidified, cool oxygen

• Dexamethasone 0.6 mg/kg oral, max 16mg

• Severe: Racemic Epinephrine 0.5 mL/kg

• Consider heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen

• Very severe: be ready to intubate

Bronchiolitis

• Caused by:

• RSV, Rhinovirus

• Symptoms are driven by secretions

• Symptoms:

• Cough

• Wheezing

• Dehydration (often the symptom that makes them look the worst)

• Age range:

• 2 to 6 months

• Treatment:

• Suctioning

• Oxygen

• IV fluids

• Nebulized hypertonic saline

• DuoNebs? No.

Asthma

• Caused by:

• Environmental factors

• Viral illness with a predisposition

• Treatment:

• Beta agonists

• Steroids

• Ipratropium

• Magnesium (relaxes smooth muscle)

References

• Dalziel SR, Haskell L, O'Brien S, Borland ML, Plint AC, Babl FE, Oakley E. Bronchiolitis. Lancet. 2022 Jul 30;400(10349):392-406. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01016-9. Epub 2022 Jul 1. PMID: 35785792.

• Hoch HE, Houin PR, Stillwell PC. Asthma in Children: A Brief Review for Primary Care Providers. Pediatr Ann. 2019 Mar 1;48(3):e103-e109. doi: 10.3928/19382359-20190219-01. PMID: 30874817.

• Midulla F, Petrarca L, Frassanito A, Di Mattia G, Zicari AM, Nenna R. Bronchiolitis clinics and medical treatment. Minerva Pediatr. 2018 Dec;70(6):600-611. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4946.18.05334-3. Epub 2018 Oct 18. PMID: 30334624.

• Smith DK, McDermott AJ, Sullivan JF. Croup: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2018 May 1;97(9):575-580. PMID: 29763253.

• Westley CR, Cotton EK, Brooks JG. Nebulized racemic epinephrine by IPPB for the treatment of croup: a double-blind study. Am J Dis Child. 1978 May;132(5):484-7. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1978.02120300044008. PMID: 347921.

• https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/677/westley-croup-score

Summarized by Jeffrey Olson | Edited by Meg Joyce & Jorge Chalit, OMSII